The Mimili Maku Wati Group is a collective of Aṉangu men from Mimili Community who are redefining what contemporary printmaking and sculpture can be when it begins on Country. Rooted in kinship and custodial responsibility, their practice is driven by resistance, resourcefulness and cultural continuity, demonstrating that the art centre is a powerful hub for ongoing innovation.
Mentored by senior artist and cultural leader Robert Fielding, the Wati Group brings together emerging artists including Desmond Woodforde, Shane Dodd, Richard Nelson and Arnold Dodd, alongside a growing cohort of Mimili-based men and youth.
Through intensive on-country residencies and collaborations with specialist fabricators, they experiment with glass, bronze, car bodies and bush materials in a genuinely reciprocal way, ngapartji-ngapartji. where knowledge flows between generations and across cultures rather than from the top down. This shared leadership model positions the Wati Group as a platform for new voices and new techniques.
The Wati Studio has received funding from CreateSA for the major commission "Melting Point" which will be presented in 2026.
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